Mastering Currency Formatting in Laravel with the Number Helper

Need to handle multiple currencies in your Laravel app? The Number helper just got even better with configurable default currency settings! Let's dive into how this feature can streamline your currency formatting.

Setting a Default Currency

In the past, USD was the only default option. Now, you can easily set your preferred default currency:

use Illuminate\Support\Number;

// Set EUR as the default currency
Number::useCurrency('EUR');

// Format a number using the default (EUR)
$currency = Number::currency(1000);
// Output: €1,000.00

Temporary Currency Override

Need to use a different currency temporarily? No problem:

// Override the default just for this value
$currency = Number::currency(1000, in: 'USD');
// Output: $1,000.00

Using a Callback

You can also use a callback to handle multiple operations with a temporary currency:

Number::withCurrency('USD', function () {
    $price1 = Number::currency(1000);  // $1,000.00
    $price2 = Number::currency(2000);  // $2,000.00
    
    // After this callback, the default (EUR) is restored
});

Real-World Example

Here's how you might use this in an e-commerce application:

class PriceController extends Controller
{
    public function display(Request $request, Product $product)
    {
        // Set user's preferred currency as default
        Number::useCurrency($request->user()->preferred_currency);

        return view('products.show', [
            'regular_price' => Number::currency($product->price),
            'usd_price' => Number::currency($product->price, in: 'USD'),
            'wholesale_prices' => Number::withCurrency('EUR', function () use ($product) {
                return [
                    'bulk' => Number::currency($product->wholesale_price),
                    'distributor' => Number::currency($product->distributor_price)
                ];
            })
        ]);
    }
}

The Number helper's new currency features make it easier than ever to handle multiple currencies in your Laravel applications. Whether you're building an international e-commerce platform or just need to display prices in different currencies, these tools have got you covered.

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